MultiVersus’ new update completely revamps hitboxes, hurtboxes and projectiles

videogameschronicle.com:

The latest major update for MultiVersus arrives later today, offering a complete revamp of the game’s hitbox and hurtbox system.

The game’s director Tony Huynh stated a month ago that that the hit detection would be getting a “big overhaul”, and today’s update is the result of this.

Rather than making each character’s hurtbox a rectangle that sits on top of them, the hurtboxes now fit closer to each character’s actual body, meaning it’s easier to hit an opponent if an attack touches their limbs.

Hitboxes and hurtboxes are the two essential components of a fighting game’s hit detection mechanics.

A hitbox is an invisible box that is created when a character performs an attack, and shows the range of space the attack covers. A hurtbox is another invisible box which sits on top of a character and determines where they can be hit.

If a character performs an attack and their hitbox overlaps the opponent’s hurtbox, the attack lands. By making either one or both of these boxes smaller, it becomes harder to land attacks (because overlaps are less likely).

An image included with the new update’s patch notes – which have since been removed – shows how the new hurtboxes fit closer to a fighter’s body.

The other main change added in version 1.02 is to the projectile system, which attempts to standardise projectile behaviour so players don’t “need an encyclopedia knowledge of every attack in the game” to know how two projectiles will interact.

Now if two normal projectiles hit each other they’ll both be destroyed. There are also new ‘heavy’ projectiles which can break through standard ones, can’t be reflected, and will only be destroyed if they hit another heavy one.

Version 1.02 will roll out later today and will likely be implemented once